Just had my brother Angus here for the weekend, collecting him from Tyndrum on Saturday and nipping up the Buachaille by Curved/Crowberry Ridges on the way home. (more…)
13 October 2010
6 September 2010
Ouch!
First rock climbing of the year after the ultra-running and big hill rounds took over my ‘summer’ (aka six weeks of rain to coincide with the school holidays), and all’s well apart from the bashed ribs… (more…)
3 April 2010
Long day on North-East Buttress
Yesterday I climbed North-East Buttress (IV,4, and one of the great classic ridges) on Ben Nevis with Isi Oakley in glorious late-season conditions. (more…)
14 March 2010
Point Five Gully
While it’s no longer close to the monstrous undertaking that foiled many leading climbers prior to its controversial first ascent in 1959, Point Five Gully (V,5) on Ben Nevis remains one of the most prized winter climbs for the recreational mountaineer, described in Colin Stead’s Cold Climbs essay as ‘probably the most famous ice gully in Scotland, perhaps in the world’ and more concisely in the relevant SMC guidebooks as ‘[probably] the most famous ice gully in the world!’ (The 2002 Ben Nevis guide omits the ‘probably’.) (more…)
28 February 2010
Stumped by The Skraeling
Today Jamie B and I headed to the North-East Corrie of Beinn an Dothaidh in search of some sensible mixed climbing in conditions where serious avalanche risk following this week’s dumps of snow over surface hoar still ruled out many of the more ‘traditional’ venues. And it soon became obvious on our approach to The Skraeling (IV,5) that scoured slopes and deep deposits of snow were vying for supremacy on a very localised basis… (more…)
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21 February 2010
WML Training
Just back (last night) from Winter Mountain Leader Training at Glenmore Lodge with instructors Eric Pirie, David Haygarth and (for one day) John Armstrong. Don’t know when I last saw (or dug!) so much snow, but there was plenty to play with in conditions ranging from spectacularly clear to total whiteout, the standard of instruction was (as always with the Lodge) top class and the crack from instructors and fellow trainees alike was great. (more…)
13 February 2010
SC Gully
Long before I ever saw myself climbing Grade Vs (when I was climbing before, didn’t go out so much in winter and was basically walking or soloing Is and IIs when I did), SC Gully on Stob Coire nan Lochan was probably close to the summit of my realistic winter aspirations as a classic Grade III line of dramatic appearance and unimpeachable integrity (a straight, deep cleft between two buttresses). (more…)
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8 February 2010
The Wand
So here I was yesterday, starting up this Grade V ice pitch, close to fulfilling a cherished dream and possibly somewhere well along the scale from quite excited to ******* terrified… but just how did I come to find myself at the sharp end on The Wand (V,5) on Creag Meagaidh? (more…)
31 January 2010
Italian Right-Hand
Today I climbed Italian Right-Hand (IV,4) on Ben Nevis with Stephan Mors. (more…)
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24 January 2010
Twisting and turning
Just had a great weekend with my brother Angus when we climbed the classic Twisting Gully (III,4) on Stob Coire nan Lochan yesterday and went mountain biking all round the Torlundy/Leanachan area today. (more…)
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